A Day for the Innocent
by Siashuria
Summary: Nicholas would like to give Cecilia cookies for the Spring Thanksgiving festival, but first, he goes to seek advice from some not-so-helpful villagers. A Rune Factory one-shot. Light Nicholas/Cecilia. Old, haha.


**Hey world... Well, I said I would put up the next chapter of my longfic today, but I'm sorry, I put up a one-shot instead. x.x Sorry again. **

**This is just an idea I got while playing Rune Factory. If I'm not mistaken, Nicholas not only actually wanted to give Cecilia cookies during this festival, but he also says that he wants to marry her. xDD So cute.**

**So here is the end result; a little one-shot. I hope you enjoy! Reviews and Constructive Criticism are both greatly appreciated.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harvest Moon or any of its characters/settings/anything at all no matter how awesome it may be.**

**--**

"Flour, sugar, vanilla, chocolate, eggs…"

Neumann was reciting each item aloud before he placed it into the brown paper bag in front of him. After a rough check to make sure he had gotten everything, he hauled the package up onto the tall counter, but failed to see the customer it was for.

"Haha!" He laughed, "Where'd you go?"

"The bag is so tall I can't even see you!" A young voice cried out from the opposite side.

Leaning over slightly, Neumann caught sight of the small boy with stunning navy hair who was shopping that day. It was true, the large bag had blocked the boy's head, which already barely made its way above the tall counter.

"Will that be all, Nicholas?" The store owner asked politely, as to any customer.

"Yep! That's it!" the boy replied with great enthusiasm.

"Heh, did Sabrina get you grocery shopping for her again?" Neumann questioned with another chuckle.

"You could say that…" Try as he might, Nicholas failed to keep the mischief and ambition out of his eyes and smile.

The blond man grinned; he was far too familiar with Nicholas's antics. "What are you up to…?"

"Nothing…"

"Flour, sugar…" Neumann repeated the contents of the bag aloud, "vanilla, chocolate, and eggs? You're making cookies, aren't you?"

"What! N-no…"

"Tomorrow _is_ the Spring Thanksgiving Festival. They're for Cecilia, aren't they?"

At this, Nicholas turned a very bright red. "NO! Shut up, old man!!"

Neumann could only laugh as the child hauled the bag off of the counter, which likely weighed as much as he did, and attempted to carry it out the door. He almost made it too, before he came to a great stall, and fell flat on his back. To top it all off, the large burlap sack of flower slid a ways, managing to completely cover the poor boy's face.

The store owner managed to stifle his laughter long enough to help Nicholas back onto his feet. He expected the child to be laughing with him, but the boy only sighed, troubled.

"Neumann," Nicholas asked his elder, "What if she doesn't want them?"

Neumann put on a comforting smile for Nicholas before responding. "Look, buddy. I'm really not the best person to go to for this kind of stuff. I've done more stupid things to women than you could imagine."

"But Neumann…"

"There are plenty of guys in our little town," He cut Nicholas off. "I'm sure any one of them could give you better advice than I could."

"…Alright," Nicholas finally gave in, re-attempting to pick up his groceries and leave. "Just please don't tell Mom about this!"

After an almost painful scoff, Neumann replied, "She doesn't like me telling her anything these days. Don't worry about it."

Nicholas was satisfied with this answer, and again headed towards the door. When he turned to close it behind him, he caught a final glance from Neumann, who gave him a wink as he entered one of the several backrooms.

--

The sun was at high noon, but as it was the middle of spring, its rays were comfortable and welcome on Nicholas's skin.

The boy ran along the beach towards town. After dropping off his groceries, he decided to take up Neumann's seemingly wise advice and talk to some of the other guys in Kardia. After all, there had to be someone in town with an idea of what girls liked.

Sprinting up the stone stairwell, Nicholas came to one of the first roads in the small town. Buildings upon stores upon houses were lined up along the few city blocks. Though the town was tiny and relatively quiet at the time, it was still daunting for the child, and left him wondering where to go first.

"Ah, Nicholas, what brings you out and about on this glorious day?"

Reacting to the voice, Nicholas turned slightly down the opposite road. His face immediately met with a billowing cloak, which proceeded to smother the child.

"Oh, I'm terribly sorry about that."

After a brief fit of sputtering and wild arm waving, Nicholas managed to remove the wall of dark clothing out of his eyesight. Glancing upwards, he found himself face-to-face with Lukas, the traveling poet.

"Are you _trying_ to kill me!?" Nicholas was red in the face, still in slight shock of the moment. However, after a few clensing breaths, the boy realized who he was speaking to; Kardia's own traveling love poet. "Lukas, you're kind of a… love specialist, right?"

Lukas smiled broadly at the title he was given. "Why, yes, many a person has addressed me as so," He paused briefly, basking in his own imaginary glory. "Why do you ask?"

Nicholas could only pretend he understood everything the poet said. In the end, he decided to take the chance and ask the poet of love for girl advice. It seemed like a brilliant idea at the time.

"I just, would like some…" He was cut off, however, by a very excited man.

"Advice?" Lukas was thrilled, "My boy, its Cecilia isn't it? Oh! You are finally in love, this is great!"

"In love?!" Nicholas was thoroughly taken aback, "Ew! No!"

"No need to be ashamed, Nicholas. You have come to the right person! For after all, what is love but a sparrow's tuneless song in the peaking light of the breaching sun…?"

As Lukas trailed off, Nicholas found himself pondering over his feelings for Cecilia.

_She's just my friend…, _he thought. _But then again, she is my best friend. And she's also kind of pretty, and stuff… a little. But love…? I'm just a kid! That's just gross!_

"…and as the waves of light crash down upon the earth, it shatters, as though more fragile than a newborn's beating heart…"

Lukas was not even facing Nicholas anymore, but was instead engrossed in his own blossoming poetry. Not wanting to interrupt, Nicholas continued running along his way, now more in need of a second opinion than when he began his little journey.

--

"You're not in love."

Nicholas sighed in relief at the words. _Good,_ he thought, _because that would just be icky._

The boy had wondered into Emmett's bar. The dim light created a comfortable atmosphere in the restaurant, and the air was cool and crisp. All in all, it was a welcome transition from the growing heat outside. Nicholas sat up at the bar and let his legs dangle off the edge of his wooden stool. The gray-haired man was in the back by the wine rack organizing various drinks and ingredients.

"Would you like your usual today?" Emmett asked the child.

Nicholas weakly nodded, and the man proceeded to a small cooler beneath the shelves. He pulled out a small cardboard drinking box and put it down in front of, currently, his only customer. The boy poked a hole in the top with his straw and thirstily gulped down the box's contents; apple juice.

"I mean, come on," The aged man continued consoling the boy as he worked, "You're what, 9? 10?" Nicholas shrugged; he was close enough. "You don't even know what love is."

"…And you do?" The child sounded almost hopeful with his question.

"Well," Emmett let out a sigh, "I'll tell you this much; it ain't worth it."

Nicholas grew confused. Emmett's reaction was nothing like any he had seen so far.

"I've never married, but I've never once felt lonely," The man explained. "As for others, I can't say the same. I'm a bartender, so I see a lot of stuff that goes on. I've seen people in love, people in relationships, people who are married, but it all never really lasts. It isn't right for someone to be with someone else for the rest of their life. It just doesn't work, you know?"

Honestly, Nicholas didn't know, but he nodded blankly and Emmett continued. "People lose interest. They grow tired of old toys and move on. Some people suck it up and bear it, other times…" He paused, looking directly at Nicholas, "It just falls apart."

With that, Nicholas politely thanked the bartender and left the building. Within the past two hours, life had become increasingly difficult for the boy.

--

The sun was lowering in the sky, slowly but surely. Nicholas guessed that it was after five.

He had been meandering through the area for a good amount of time, not going anywhere in particular. The feathers around his head drooped as though representing his mood. As he came across a sound, however, he stopped, and turned towards an area in the woods. The noise was brief but crisp, as though a stick had been snapped nearby.

Nicholas got to his knees in the familiar grasses. Crawling forward, he positioned himself carefully behind a patch of briars. From experience, he knew it to be one of the best places to spy from in the forest; the canopy above gave the perfect covering of shade along with the plants.

From his place, Nicholas made out a figure in the distance pacing about. It was as though it was looking for something. Finally, it kneeled over, pulled something out of the ground, and strolled carefully out of sight. Being the child he was, Nicholas's curiosity overtook him and he gave chase.

Lightly padding through the unkempt flora, Nicholas turned to look from behind a large oak tree, trying to get a clear look at the silhouette he had been pursuing. Unfortunately, the attempt failed, and he fell forward down a small, yet steep, slope, into the clearing below.

"Owww…" Nicholas groaned. His eyes were closed tightly as though he was expecting more to come.

"Hey! What are you doing here?"

Nicholas slowly opened one eye, and then the other, only to be blinded by the harsh sunlight in the clearing. After squinting, he finally managed to depict Zavier towering over him.

"Uh… I just…" Nicholas scrambled for an excuse, "…Needed to ask you something?"

"Well, what?" Zavier adjusted his goggles impatiently, which were fogging up over his eyes.

The child's voice had quieted to almost a whisper. "…It's about girls."

"Oh…" The young man dropped his mask of aggression at the innocence of Nicholas's question. A mischievous smile even grew over his face. "Maybe you should come see what I'm doing then."

After helping the boy to his feet, Zavier led Nicholas over a ways to a large field of various different flowers. While the boy did not really understand or care about the plants in general, even he could see the effort and care put into the little secret garden.

"You see, Nicholas?" Zavier began, "To impress the babes, you've gotta go big!"

"…Babes?" Nicholas was already lost. Was Zavier making fun of girls?

"Tomorrow, I'm going to take Mist here, and she'll be blown away. Any chick would be on you if you did something like this!" He gave the boy a wink and walked closer to the fruits of his labor.

"Chicks? …But I'm not talking about chickens." Nicholas's day was not getting any better.

"It's all in the material possessions, the tricks of the trade, the gifts!" Zavier continued to ramble on. "You've got to impress them to make them yours, and if you're rejected, just move on."

"But what if I am rejected?" Nicholas asked. He needed an answer, "What will she think of me?"

"Well, I mean," Zavier pondered over this, "If you mess up, she probably wouldn't want to talk to you again…"

With that, Nicholas's eyes grew wide with horror. He turned and ran as fast as he could.

--

After cleaning the dishes from her early supper, Sabrina let out a long sigh. She could hear chokes and sputters echoing, even one floor below. Throwing the rag onto the counter she paced upstairs, her dark blue hair bobbing with every step. She knocked gently on her son's door.

"Nicholas?" A soothing voice called through the wooden doorway. "Please come out, you haven't opened your door since last night…"

It was the day of the Spring Thanksgiving festival, and Nicholas was sobbing into his pillow. He had been in a similar motion since the previous evening, and there were no signs of him giving it up.

_I can't go out, _he thought as tears ran down his cheeks. _Not today… I can't see her._

"Nicholas, please-…"

"NO!"

Sabrina narrowed her eyes at the closed doorway. Carefully turning the knob, she opened it a crack, then a little more, and continued until she was all the way inside. Slowly, she stepped over to the distraught boy on the twin bed, and sat down next to him. Almost immediately, he burrowed himself into her chest.

"What's wrong?" The woman cooed softly, pacifying the child.

"It's… C-Ceci," Nicholas stuttered between sobs, "I went around asking for advice yesterday, but Neumann said he couldn't help, and Lukas told me I was madly in love, and Emmett said it was a waste of time, and Zavier said something about chickens and told me that Ceci would never speak to me again!! I've never been so confused!"

Sabrina was more than overwhelmed by the child's story. Her eyes were wide, she had no idea he had been having this little episode.

"I-I bought supplies to make her cookies today," Nicholas pointed to the various bags sitting in the corner of his bedroom, "But who am I kidding?" He re-burrowed into his mother's shoulder. "I have no idea how to cook…"

Sabrina softly stroked the child's back, slowly calming him down. "Nicholas, you and Cecilia are so innocent, that's what this holiday is all about."

The boy looked to face his mother with bloodshot eyes and a tear-streaked face. "You're just children, and you want to show Cecilia you care with a gift." He nodded, and Sabrina finished. "That's all there is to it."

"…Really?" Nicholas was stunned; all of his searching, all of the advice, and it was really as simple as that?

"Really," the Woman confirmed, "And honestly, that's all a girl really wants."

"How do you know?"

Sabrina chuckled before answering, "Because I am a girl, silly! Cecilia would love cookies or any other gift you gave her because she knows you care, and she cares about you as well."

"Oh! Right!" Nicholas let a small smile return to his face briefly. However, he thought for a moment, and realized something terrible. "But mom! The Spring Thanksgiving is almost over! I won't be able to make Ceci any cookies!"

With a small wink, Sabrina stood up and turned to her son. "Not if we work fast."

Nicholas was now grinning from ear to ear. In the blink of an eye, he leaped off the bed and took hold of his ingredients.

"Let's go!"

--

Cecilia watched as her feet dangled below her. She sat quietly on a bench beside the town library and frowned.

_Maybe he just doesn't care, _She sighed, thinking, _He probably didn't even think about giving me any cookies today._

At the sound of a door opening, Cecilia's elf ears perked, and her eyes darted to the source of the sound; the library. Russell stepped out, gently closing the worn door behind him. A light breeze ruffled his brown hair as he approached his daughter. Sensing her unhappiness, he sat down beside her.

"The only reason for a girl to be depressed on the Spring Thanksgiving festival," Russell began, "Is if she didn't receive a gift."

Cecilia could only sigh at her father's words. He placed a comforting hand upon her shoulder, and squeezed gently, lovingly. "You were expecting something from Nicholas?"

"Yeah…" Cecilia let her head drop slightly.

"There's always next year, darling," Russell said as reassuringly as he could manage. Mentally, however, he wanted to kick himself. Little pep-talks were not his strong suit.

The girl only closed her eyes as the wind slowly displaced her hair. "Maybe…"

Turning over, Cecilia nestled her head onto her father's shoulder. Smiling, he placed a warm arm around her and pulled her close. The moment was gentle and comforting, but it did not last long. A shout destroyed the serenity of the night.

"CECI!!"

Cecilia jumped at the shout. She stood up rapidly, and began walking in wonder towards the source of the noise. Russell as well stood up, his face coated with an expression of pleasant surprise.

Nicholas rounded the city corner with great speed. Spotting Cecilia at last, his eyes practically bulged out of his head, and he sprinted down the pathway, oblivious to any obstacles in his path. Finally, he came to a skidding halt a few feet away from his target, and placed one hand on his knee, breathing heavily. The other grasped a large silk pouch.

Taking his cue, Russell returned to the library, and called to Cecilia, "Just come in when you're finished." She nodded, a large smile now etched onto her face, and turned back to the navy-haired boy in front of her.

"Ceci!" Nicholas panted, "These… are for you."

Shakily, nervously, and with major butterflies in his stomach, Nicholas offered the pouch to the pretty girl in front of him. Cecilia gently took the bag and opened it; there were 15 warm chocolate chip cookies inside.

"Nicholas…" She looked as though she would cry.

_Oh no! _Nicholas thought, extremely worried. _Did I do something wrong?! Will she ever speak to me again? No!_

"…Thank you so much!" A tear of happiness ran down Cecilia's cheek. "I love it! Thank you!"

Suddenly, much to Nicholas's great surprise, she leaned over and gave the boy a small peck on the cheek.

"Ahaha!" He cringed in recoil, "Gross!" Both Nicholas and Cecilia knew that his words were empty, though. From the huge blush across the boy's face, and the feeling of giddiness in his chest, both of the children knew that everything was well that night.

"Heh," Nicholas shifted awkwardly, "What are we going to do now?"

Cecilia looked back at her pouch of cookies. "Well, I can't eat all of these cookies alone. You gave me so many!"

"I can help! Just you wait!"

The two children then sat together on the bench with a large pouch of cookies between them. Together, they snacked, and talked, and laughed joyously at almost nothing at all.

As the sun set and the kids parted ways, they began looking forward to the next days of their lives together. After all, with adventures to be had, and pranks to be pulled, the two best friends had quite a future ahead of them.


End file.
